


In Memory

by Kintara5



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, am I even tagging things right?, in a way? - Freeform, loss of pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 12:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12887979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kintara5/pseuds/Kintara5
Summary: There was once a time when Noctis had three friends as a child.A year after meeting them three, tragedy fell upon two.





	In Memory

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to write a story each day until the release of Episode Ignis, and today had been intended to be fluffy, but I wrote this instead to cope with my loss.

King Regis had been away when tragedy struck earlier that morning. News of the attack on the young princes’ companions spread throughout the Citadel like wildfire; however, they had yet to reach his fathers’ ears.

Meaning that no one had any idea how to console the crying child.  
  


* * *

It had been a normal day like any before that day. Noctis woke up and was helped by his nanny to prepare for the day. He had been invited by Ignis’ uncle to join them for the day to visit some shops in preparation for the holidays, Noctis having saved up his money to buy his father a gift was eager to meet with his dearest friend. 

As usual the nanny made her way to the bay window and uncovered the cage which housed the prince’s three companions, which mind you Noctis refused to call them his pets for they were his friends. Having uncovered them to the new day that awaited ahead, she smiled seeing them shake their feathers around while singing their good mornings. Carrying the cage handle in one hand she exited the room and made her way to the gardens.

It was a little over a year ago when the young prince had been gifted three birds from a visiting diplomat who was visiting from Altissia. Noctis had named the first bird Noct after himself for it’s feathers which greatly resembled his own hair and the streaks of blue that reminded him of his eyes that ran down its back to the very tip of its tail. The second had been Gar after the Gar he witnessed his father fish out of the water when he was first teaching Noctis had to handle the rod, he could still recall the spotted scales of the fish to this day which he was now seeing on this bird before him. The last bird he named Stupeo in memory of Ignis’ pet cat that passed away a couple months after Ignis had moved to Insomnia. He could recall how devastated his friend was after he read the letter from his parents that told him of the news. Ignis having been present when Noctis first received the birds was touched by his gesture.

So it truly broke everyone’s heart a year later that day, when they found the cage had been attacked.

The royal gardener who had grown so fond of them noticed that something was wrong when he couldn’t hear them singing from their resting place, he rushed to check on the occupants.

The beautiful white-stoned pedestal that the servants had chipped in for to be custom made to welcome the new birds was now stained with droplets of blood that ran down from the cage to the foot of the stand. In the corner of the cage lay a still Gar whose small body was covered in blood and loose feathers. Sitting on the wooden perch was a wounded Gar whose neck was bloody and bare and judging by the heaving of his chest had trouble breathing and right beside him was an injured Stupeo whose left wing was limp at its side. Immediately the staff rushed to aid the two remaining birds.

Cor who had stayed behind to keep watch of things inspected the surroundings to see what it could have been that attacked the trio. It wasn’t far from where he found a single feather which belonged to a much larger bird. He closed his eyes as he put the two together. A stray bird had found its way inside and attacked the three smaller birds most likely in an attempt for a meal. And judging by how the body of Gar was close to the water container it had waited till one was near the edge where its claws could reach. Noct and Stupeo must have been injured trying to protect their fallen friend.

He exhaled a deep sigh as he thought of the young prince and how this would hurt him. He always hated telling the family of the fallen of their loss. How was he supposed to tell a child of his?   
  


* * *

Hours after Ignis’ uncle brought the boys back, the cries of the King’s son could still be heard. No one had the heart to tell the prince to quiet down, they all felt the same pain, it’s just as adults they were less vocal about it. They could busy themselves with work to forget their grief, a small child didn’t have that same option. 

Noctis laid in his bed crying into the pillow as Ignis sat at his bedside, his head held down.

Upon returning from the city, Noctis and Ignis were rushing to get to the gardens so they could play. Ignis could have sworn he heard his uncle call out to them after a worker whispered something into his ear, but Noctis was too fast to stop. As they made their way further in Ignis noticed that something was off with the adults. He began to bite his lips trying to figure out what was amiss thinking of a way to voice his worries to Noct. It wasn’t until they made it to the long hallway that led to the gardens where a group of adults were standing did Ignis realize what had happened.

He stopped running and pulled back Noctis in the process. Noctis who had been caught by surprise stopped and looked back at Ignis, confusion clear on his face.

“Iggy?” asked Noctis.

“Noctis…” Ignis began but had stopped when he saw Cor approaching them.

Ignis bit back a cry as he recalled the fallen look on his friends face as he was told the news. He had lost a pet before so he knows the pain that Noctis is going through. The only difference was he had only lost one, Noctis may possibly lose two this very night.

Looking up to the bed, he saw Noctis had finally stopped crying and was looking to the window where his friends used to occupy. From what Cor had told them, they weren’t too sure if Noct was going to make it and if Stupeo was ever going to fly again.

Recalling from his memories back then, he knew something he could do.

Standing up from his seat he climbed into the princes’ bed and crawled to the side of his prince. Slowly as though checking to see if his actions would be rejected he placed his hand on his friends side, gently patting it as he whispered consoling words to him.

Noctis had done the same to him when he learned of his cat Stupeo’s passing. It was unbecoming of him, but he couldn’t hold his sadness in, he had to cry out. The King had understood his sorrow and allowed him to have time for himself, but that didn’t stop Noctis from seeking him out. When he himself was curled up on his bed crying, Noctis came to his side and patted his side until he felt better.

Now it was Ignis’ turn to help his prince. His friend.  
  


* * *

Later that same night, Ignis has woken up and found the prince was missing from the bed. 

He grabbed his glasses and exited the room quietly to not disturb anyone and headed to where he was sure Noctis had went.

The floor was cold underneath his feet, faintly you could hear the soft patters of his steps which thankfully wasn’t echoing down the corridors as he had feared. It wasn’t too often that he came around this side of the Citadel where the Infirmary was located. From the few times he and Noctis received bumps and bruises from their rough housing he was luckily able to remember the directions to here.

Turning the corner he looked up ahead and saw the door to the infirmary slightly cracked open with the light peeking out. His assumptions had been correct it seems. Entering the room, there he found Noctis huddled in front of the cage as he quietly muttered something.

“Noct?”  
  
“He doesn’t look good…” answered Noctis.

“I meant you Noctis…” Ignis said back as he made his way to princes’ side.

Noctis rubbed his eyes as though trying to hide the evidence that he was crying earlier. Sniffling, he tucked his head down to his knees and asked, “Is he gonna make it?”

Ignis looked to the birds and watched as Stupeo tucked its head underneath Noct’s as though trying to keep him upright as the latter’s eyes slowly opened and closed as though in a dazed state. It was obvious to him what the answer was.

“Noct. I want you to listen to me right now… Okay?”

Noctis nodded his head and leaned into the side of Ignis as he began to brush his fingers through his hair.

“I know it hurts right now… But imagine how he must be feeling now…” Ignis said as he looked back to the bird, “He fought greatly to protect his family… I think it’s time for him to rest.”

“H-He needs to sleep…?” asked Noctis from where his head was tucked into Ignis.

Ignis could only nod his head as he fought back the tears.

“He needs to rest…”

He knew what he was saving was cruel. But allowed the bird to continue living as it was now was even crueler. He’s read many books during his time here in the Citadel, there was no saving the bird without hurting it more than it was now.

He continued to brush his fingers through Noctis hair until he sensed his weight drop further into his side indicating that the prince had fallen asleep.

Only then did he allow himself to finally shed the tears he held back. Only then did thank Noct for holding on as long as he did.

“Thank you Noct… You can rest now…”  
  


* * *

The next morning when the King had returned from his travels did he finally hear about the tragedy that struck his sons’ friends. He rushed to the infirmary where he was told the remaining birds were held. 

Upon entering the room, his heart swelled with love and broke all at once from sorrow seeing his son sleeping beside his devoted friend on the infirmary bed and the cage which housed a heartbroken bird who remained by his fallen brother whose eyes would forever remain closed.

The staff quietly and quickly removed the birds from the infirmary before the two boys could wake up. The doctors did the best they could to clean the blood off of Gar and Noct, who now were laid together side by side for all to pay their respects.

Noctis who was woken later in the morning after all the preparations were completed was informed of Noct’s fate. The young prince remained strong as his father spoke with him. It obvious he was hurting inside, but as Ignis had told him the night before, his bird fought greatly to protect his family. Now it was time for him to be laid to rest.

Noctis carried the cage that housed the recovering Stupeo as he approached the burial of his companions. He bowed his head in respect and did his best to fight back the tears that wanted to spill. Behind him Ignis did the same.  
  


* * *

“Come to think of it, I’ve never did get your name.”

“Noct. Noct Gar.”

Ignis, who had been helping the others store away the body of the Murk Grouper into the container, froze heard the name that Noctis spoke. My, how many years had it been since he heard those two names.

He smiled to himself as he could faintly hear the sweet songs the birds used to sing whenever they played in the gardens as boys.

After all had been said and done Noctis approached Ignis and patted him on the back, “What’s with the smile Iggy?”

Ignis smirked at Noctis while raising a brow upwards, “Noct Gar?”

Noctis smiled while rubbing the tip of his nose as he tried to fight the blush that wanted to appear on his cheeks, “What? How about you Ignis Stupeo Scientia?”

Ignis laughed as he shook his head, “You put me on the spot back then, how was I supposed to tell you my middle name when I don’t have one to begin with?”

“You could’ve just told me you didn’t have one!” answered a laughing Noctis back.

“I’m sure the two would be honored you took after the name.”

Noctis looked up to the sky as he remembered his three companions from his childhood.

Smiling he answered back, “Yeah… I hope wherever they are, they’re flying high together.”

**Author's Note:**

> In memory of Amy and Mewtwo.
> 
> May you find peace and forever fly high together.  
> Grimm misses you both.


End file.
